Compare Lovastatin vs. Crestor
Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, ratings, and more.
Lowers cholesterol.
Mevacor (Lovastatin) can improve cholesterol, but it's not as strong as other statin medicines. Statin side effects can be difficult to deal with, but the benefits might outweigh the risks.
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3.4/ 5 average rating with 89 reviewsforLovastatin
Lowers cholesterol.
Crestor (rosuvastatin) is one of the most effective statins to improve cholesterol. It's also available as a generic.
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3.7/ 5 average rating with 751 reviewsforCrestor
Upsides
- Lowers "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides (fats) and raises "good" cholesterol (HDL) in people who have trouble doing this through diet and exercise.
- Can lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death, particularly if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, or a history of smoking.
- It's a good first choice medicine for lowering cholesterol levels when diet and exercise aren't enough.
- Slows down the buildup of fatty deposits in your blood vessels, otherwise known as a hardening of the arteries.
- In clinical studies, Crestor (rosuvastatin) has the strongest effect on lowering "bad" cholesterol compared to other statins.
- Can lower your risk of heart attack, stroke, and death, particularly if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, or a history of smoking.
- Available as a generic drug.
Downsides
- Not the best choice for people who have very high cholesterol levels.
- Statins can cause digestive problems, blood sugar problems, muscle aches and stiffness, muscle injury, kidney damage, and liver damage. Some people have to stop taking this medicine because of these problems.
- You're at higher risk for these side effects if you are female, are 65 years or older, drink alcohol every day, take more than one medicine for cholesterol, or have liver disease, kidney disease, or diabetes.
- Not safe to use if you're pregnant.
- You're more likely to have side effects if you're a female, are 65 years or older, drink alcohol every day, or take more than one medicine for cholesterol.
- People with liver disease, kidney disease, or diabetes are also more likely to have side effects from Crestor (rosuvastatin).
- Crestor (rosuvastatin) isn't safe to use if you're pregnant since it can hurt the fetus.
Used for
- High cholesterol
- Hereditary high cholesterol diseases in adolescents
- Hardened coronary arteries
- Hardened coronary artery prevention
- High cholesterol with diabetes
- Heart failure
- Heart attack or pre-heart attack
- Heart bypass surgery
- Coronary angioplasty
- Stroke prevention
- Atrial fibrillation prevention
- Nephrotic syndrome (kidney problem)
- High cholesterol
- High triglycerides
- Heart protection
- Atherosclerosis
- Hereditary hypercholesterolemia
- Post-heart attack treatment
Dosage forms
- Pill
- Extended release
- Pill
Price
Lowest price
$7.41
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$10.76
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Reviews
89 reviews so far
43%
saidit'sworth it
39%
saiditworked well
22%
saidit'sa big hassle
Have you used Mevacor (Lovastatin)?
Leave a review751 reviews so far
60%
saidit'sworth it
47%
saiditworked well
15%
saidit'sa big hassle
Have you used Crestor (rosuvastatin)?
Leave a reviewSide effects
2possible side effects
- Elevations of CK levels11%
- Increase in serum transaminases2%
The Crestor (rosuvastatin) FDA package insert doesn’t have numbers about how common side effects are.
Risks and risk factors
- Muscle pain
- Kidney disease
- High dose of Mevacor (Lovastatin)
- Combining with certain cholesterol-lowering drugs
- Older age and female gender
- Liver damage
- Heavy alcohol use
- History of chronic liver disease
- Harm to fetus
- Pregnancy
- Breast feeding
- Drug interactions
- Taking with certain drugs that increase the dose of Mevacor (Lovastatin) in the body
- Muscle weakness (autoimmune)
- Elevated INR
- Taking Coumadin (warfarin)
- Muscle pain
- Age 65 or older
- Taking higher doses of Crestor (rosuvastatin)
- Increased blood sugars
- Diabetes
- Liver damage
- Heavy alcohol use
- Prior history of chronic liver disease
- Birth defects
- Pregnancy